Hunter's Bullet Ricocheted Off Boar, Killed Driver A Mile Away in France
A driver of a car traveling in a road in northern France was the victim of a freak accident after a bullet fired by a hunter more than a mile away ricocheted. The stray bullet struck the driver, killing him.
Reports out of France detailed the unbelievable occurrence that took place. The driver was traveling through the Oise region of northern France early on Sunday morning when the incident occurred.
A hunting group was tracking wild boar when one of the hunters in the party took aim and fired. The bullet struck the boar, then ricocheted in the direction of the unsuspecting victim before striking the man in the head.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Investigators stated that the bullet traveled about a mile over an open field and past a collection of trees.
The driver was not alone when he was fatally struck by the bullet. He happened to be traveling with his wife, who has yet to be identified.
Reacting instantly, she took hold of the steering wheel and managed to bring the car to a safe stop after avoiding a patch of trees as she headed into a field off the road. The woman was taken by emergency responders to the hospital as a precaution.
"It's unheard-of … the bullet rebounded [off the boar] at almost a right angle. In terms of probability, it's very unlikely," Guy Harlé d'Ophove, president of the local hunters' federation, told Europe 1 radio.
Police did reveal that the 68-year old hunter was taken into custody, but that he was described as an experienced hunter, according to French publication Le Parisien.
Investigators are still conducting their investigation and were trying to determine just how a bullet could travel such a far distance after hitting another target at such a wide angle of trajectory. Police added that prosecutors are looking into the matter but have not yet disclosed if they would file any charges.
